1. Field of Invention
The present invention pertains to the field of onsite repair. More particularly, this invention relates to predicting parts for onsite repair.
2. Art Background
It is common in a wide variety of business arrangements to provide onsite product repair. For example, it is common to provide onsite repair of computer systems, instruments, and appliances to name just a few examples.
An onsite repair of a product usually includes the replacement of one or more parts of the product. A service technician usually travels to the repair site and takes along one or more replacement parts for possible use in the repair.
Typically, the cost of performing an onsite repair is increased if a poorly chosen set of replacement parts is sent to the repair site with a service technician. For example, if parts essential to a repair are not available to a service technician at the site then the service technician usually makes a return trip to the repair site, thereby increasing the cost of the onsite repair. In addition, if a service technician takes an unneeded part to a repair site then the unneeded part is usually returned to an inventory facility and re-stocked which also increases the cost of the onsite repair as well as inventory costs.
In prior methods, repair parts are usually chosen based on the judgment of personnel such as call qualifiers or service technicians. Unfortunately, such methods typically do not provide a systematic solution that takes into account the costs associated with choosing the wrong replacement parts.